There was no post last week because some work drama had taken over my life and it took everything I had to cope without causing GBH to myself or anyone else. But it's been dealt with, to the best of my ability, and hopefully things will run smoothly for a little while.
So, let's talk about children. I don't like them and I'm not comfortable around them. I didn't really like them when *I* was a child. As I entered young adulthood, I regarded baby-sitting as a necessary evil to obtain money since there weren't many job opportunities for Queen of the Entire Freaking Universe. (A job I'm still seeking, I might add) I don't mind pictures, and will coo over baby photos offered by friends and family, but that is as far as I go.
Someone once told me that I'd like children once I had some. Um, no. My dislike for children, and all that comes with them, is why I DON'T have any. I don't like dealing with bodily fluids/secretions, I like my privacy and not having that many restrictions on my life, I enjoy both peace & quiet and the occasional bout of headbanging music. I do not enjoy having conversations interrupted by bouts of crying/screaming/barfing, having plans made around little sweetum's sleep/school/activity schedule (all of which are liable to be cancelled at a minute's notice), having my purse gone through by mommy's little darling ("He/She's exploring new things!" No, she's broken my Kindle, ripped apart my wallet, eaten my lipstick, and absconded with my cash -OR- He's 14, should know better, and has just stolen my MP3 player, pain pills, and the cash his younger sibling missed), having my hair pulled, and worse.
I've been told that I'm a selfish cow and a horrible person for not liking/having kids. Yes, I suppose I am selfish. However, isn't it better for someone who doesn't like/want kids to NOT have them? How many children are abused/neglected by parents who don't give a damn about them? How is that fair to a child?(not saying I would do that, but let's face it- a LOT of people do) I also have a fair number of genetic flaws that it wouldn't be fair to inflict on another person. Granted, I don't think my parents planned for me to inherit some of the worst traits from both sides of the family (as well as some of the just plain odd ones- like being able to use my toes to pick up 2 liter bottles of soda and other random objects. My ex, the Schmuck- another person who should NEVER be allowed to pass on genetic material- called them my monkey toes) but I don't feel the need to risk passing them on.
Now pets are a different story. I love my fur-kids to death, and jokingly refer to myself as their mama. I love dogs, but don't have any because I have a somewhat erratic work schedule and it's not fair to a dog to be cooped up alone all day and then not get any exercise because their owner is too tired or in too much pain when they DO get home. I currently am owned by 3 cats (let's face it- they own me, not the other way around) and I feel guilty when work takes me away from them for extended periods. But it's much easier to play with them, even when tired and in pain (I have bad knees and degenerating vertebrae in my lower back which cause pinched nerves and general pain) and they love to just climb up on me and snuggle in. I LOATHE the litter box, but most cat people feel the same.
I feel the same way about my pets that some people feel about their children, and that's fine. They don't have to like my cats, I don't have to like their kids. Life will go on and all will be well with the world. As well as it gets, anyway.
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